Railing construction



1966 E. J. DE RIDDER RAILING CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1962 INVENTOR ERNST J. DCRIDDER BY fly l/WM HIS ATTORNEYS FIG,4

0d. 4, 1966 J, DE RlDDER 3,276,750

RAILING CONS TRUCTION Filed Aug. 10, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ERNST J. DeRlDDER BY HIS ATTORNEYS Get. 4, 1966 Filed Aug.

Zia

E J- DE RIDDER RAILING CONSTRUCTION FIG. 6

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ERNST J. DQRIDDER HIS ATTORNEYS Oct. 4, 1966 E. J. DE RIDDER 3,276,750

RAILING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 10, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.8

INVENTOR ERNST J. DeRIDDER HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,276,750 RAILING CONSTRUCTION Ernst J. De Ridder, Henrico County, Va., assignor t0 Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 216,211 15 Claims. (Cl. 25613.1)

This invention relates to improved railing constructions, such as railing constructions for bridges and the like.

In general, railing constructions for bridges and the like normally require a plurality of upright support posts that are arranged in .spaced relation to carry a plurality of horizontally disposed guard rails or the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved railing construction having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of an improved railing construction of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating another embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 and illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a View similar to FIGURE 3 and illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates certain parts of this invention being utilized with a forged supporting post.

FIGURE 9 is a side view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 8.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for forming railing constructions, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide other constructions as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, an improved railing construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 30 and comprises a support means 31, such as the foundation structure of a bridge or the like, a plurality of substantially vertically extending railing support posts 32 secured in spaced relation to the support means 31 and a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed guard rails 33 secured to the support posts 32 by a plurality of substantially U-shaped mounting brackets 34 and 35 of this invention.

Therefore, it can be seen that the railing construction 30 of this invention not only provides a substantially strong guard rail structure for a bridge or the like, but also the railing construction 30 of this invention has many esthetic qualities to provide an atractive railing construction.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, each support post 32 is formed from two bent sections 40 and 41 welded together at 35 to define a post having an I-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a cross member 37 and transverse 3,276,759 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 webs 38. Each support post 32 has a smaller upper end and a larger lower end with the same being arcuately bent between the ends to provide not only an attractive design, but to also permit the rails 33 to be positioned in a substantially vertically extending plane in a manner hereinafter described.

After the support posts 32 have been formed in the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 2 by welding together the bent post sections 40 and 41 along the weld seam 45 to produce a substantially solid support post 32, the smaller upper end of each post 32 is cut away to define a substantially V-shaped notch 61, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, to receive a reinforcing member 62 of this invention as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The reinforcing member 62 for each railing support post 32 can be formed by a simple extruding operation by extruding metallic material, such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like, with a conventional extruding apparatus, whereby the elongated length 62 can be subsequently cut to the desired lengths to form the individual reinforcing members 62 for the posts 32.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the reinforcing member 62 comprises a substantially U-shaped member defined by a substantially flat cross-member 64 integrally interconnected at the opposed ends thereof to outwardly directed legs 66, the member 62 being so constructed and arranged that the same cooperates with an upper rail 33 of the railing construction 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

While the reinforcing member 62 can be secured in the notch 61 of the post 32 in any suitable manner, the cross-member 64 and lower leg 66 thereof are not only welded to the transverse webs 38 of the post 32 respectively at 67 and 68, but also the cross-member 64 and lower leg 66 are welded at 69 to the cross member 37 of the post 32 throughout the length of the notch 61.

Each support post 32 is adapted to be secured to the support means 31 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 by a plurality of substantially L-shaped members 70 and 71, the members 70 and 71 being adapted to be formed by extruding metallic material, such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like, by conventional extruding apparatus.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the extruded length 70 comprises a pair of arms 74 and 75 suitably angled relative to each other to fit inboard of the rear transverse web 38 of the support post 32 and be secured thereto by a. plurality of rivets 76, FIGURE 2, while having the arm 75 thereof adapted to rest on the support means 31.

Thus, it can be seen that two L-shaped members 70 are utilized with each support post 32 on opposite sides of the cross-member 37 thereof.

The L-shaped member 71 is substantially identical to the L-shaped member 70 previously described, except that the arms 77 and 78 thereof are disposed at substantially right angles relative to each other.

Only one L-shaped member 71 need be provided for each support post 32, because the arm 77 thereof is disposed outboard of the railing side, transverse web 38 of the support post 32 and is secured thereto by the rivets 76 previously described to permit the arm 78 thereof to rest on the support means 32.

When the support post 32 and L-shaped members 70 and 71 are formed of the aforementioned aluminumcontaining metallic material, it is preferred that the same be riveted by the rivets 76 to the post 32 rather than be welded thereto to prevent annealing of the aluminium material at the welded area and, thus, the loss of structural strength at the welded area.

The arms 75 and 78 of the secured L-shaped members 70 and 71 are adapted to be secured to the supporting structure 31 by suitable anchor bolts 79 imbedded in the foundation support means 31 and passing through suitable Z? apertures formed in the arms 75 and 78 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the anchor bolts 79 having nuts 80 threadedly disposed thereon.

Preferably, substantially rectangular and relatively thick steel reinforcing blocks 81 are disposed between the arms 75 and 78 of the members 70 and 71 and the nuts 80 to sustain the bending moment of the respective support post 32 should the same be struck by a vehicle or the like, whereby the entire shear forces imposed on the support post 32 and tending to bend the same relative to the support means 31 will be absorbed in the L-shaped members 70 and 71.

While the U-shaped mounting brackets 34 and 35 of this invention can be formed of any suitable material and in any suitable manner, the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawings are formed by extruding metallic material, such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like, in conventional extruding apparatus.

The extruded lengths can be subsequently cut to the desired widths to provide the mounting brackets 34 and 35 for a particular post 32.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the U-shaped mounting bracket 34 is defined by a substantially straight crossmember 84 integrally interconnected at the opposed ends thereof to legs 85 suitably constructed to be complementary to the upper rail 33 in a manner hereinafter described, each leg 85 of the mounting bracket 34 having an end portion 86 adapted to be bolted to the outboard surface of one of the transverse webs 38 of the post structure 32 by a plurality of bolts 87 respectively passing through suitable apertures formed in the respective end portion 86 and the respective transverse web 28, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

When the upper U-shaped mounting bracket 34 is secured to the post 32 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the cross-member 84 and legs 85 of the bracket 34 cooperate with the reinforcing member 32 to define a channel 88 therebetween having opposed opened ends and a cross-sectional configuration complementary to the cross-sectional configuration of the rail 33.

Therefore, it can be seen that the rail 33 can either be secured to the support post 32 by telescoping the same into the channel 88 after the bracket 34 has been secured thereto or the rail 33 can be secured to the post 32 by disposing the same against the reinforcing member 62 and thereafter fastening the mounting bracket 34 to the post 32.

While the rail 33 can be formed of any suitable material and in any suitable manner, the embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings is formed by extruding metallic material, such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like, in conventional extruding apparatus whereby the rail 33 can be formed in a simple and inexpensive operation.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the rail 33 has a substantially circular outer cross-section configuration provided with a pair of opposed outwardly directed enlargements 89 respectively having fiat faces 90 cooperating with the flat cross-members 64 and 84 of the members 62 and 34.

The rail 33 has a substantially circular bore 91 passing therethrough whereby the rail 33 is hollow and thus light in weight.

While the embodiment of the rail construction 30 of this invention provides three rails 33, it is to be under stood that the support post 32 of this invention can be adapted to carry one or more rails as desired, three or four rails 33 being common in the art.

The lower rails 33 are secured to. the support posts 32 by the U-shaped mounting brackets 35 of this invention.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, each U-shaped mounting bracket 35 is defined by a substantially straight crossmember 92 integrally interconnected at the opposed ends thereof to like legs 93 suitably shaped to be complementary to the rail 33 previously described and respectively having outwardly turned end portions 94 adapted to be bolted to the inboard transverse web 38 of the support post 32 by bolts 87.

When the mounting brackets 35 are secured to the support post 32 in the above manner, it can be seen that the same cooperate with the post 32 to define channels 95 having opposed open ends and having cross-sectional configurations complementary to the cross-sectional configurations of the rails 33 whereby the rails 33 are adapted to be received in the channels 95, as illustrated in FIG- URE 2.

While the lowermost rail 33 is illustrated in FIGURE 2 as having a thinner wall than the upper rails 33, it has been found that the lower rail of the railing construction 30 does not normally receive as great an amount of impact as the upper rails receive when a vehicle or the like jumps the sidewalk and runs into the railing construction 30, because the vehicle is being raised upwardly to engage the upper rails 33 thereof.

Therefore, the lowermost rail 33 can have a thinner wall and be formed of a weaker material than the upper rails 33.

For example, the upper rails 33 can be formed of aluminum alloy 606lT6, whereas the lower rail 33 can be formed from a weaker aluminum alloy such as 6063- T6.

However, as a practical matter, all of the rails 33 can be formed of the same alloy and have the same wall thickness to avoid error and confusion in the assembly of the railing construction 30.

Therefore, it can be seen that the railing construction 30 of this invention can have the parts thereof formed in a relatively simple and rapid manner without the utilization of expensive equipment and the parts thereof can be rapidly and readily assembled together in a relatively simple manner to provide the railing construction 30 having the desired structural characteristics as well as a pleasing design.

While the mounting brackets 34 and 35 and reinforcing member 62 of this invention are so constructed and arranged that the same are adapted to receive the rails 33 having the particular configurations illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood that these parts can be modified within the teachings of this invention to receive guard rails having other cross-sectional configurations.

In particular, reference is made to FIGURE 3 illustrating another railing construction of this invention generally indicated by the reference numeral 96 and having parts thereof similar to the parts of the railing construction 30 previously described and indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter a.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the mounting brackets 35a have the legs 93a thereof so constructed and arranged that the same cooperate with the inboard transverse web 38a of the support post 32a to define a substantially rectangular open ended channel 95a adapted to receive a rail 33a having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration and having a rectangular opening 91a passing therethrough.

Reference is made to FIGURE 4 illustrating another railing construction of this invention generally indicated by the reference numeral 97 and having the parts thereof similar to the railing construction 30 indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter b.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the U-shaped mounting bracket 35b of this invention has the legs 93b thereof so constructed and arranged that the same cooperate with the inboard transverse web 38b of the support post 3211 to define an open ended channel 95b having a substantially parallelogram cross-sectional configuration adapted to receive a rail 33b having a complenetary parallelogram cross-sectional configuration and provided with a bore 91b having a parallelogram cross-sectional configuration.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 5 wherein another railing construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 98 and has the parts thereof similar to the railing construction 30 indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter 0.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the U-shaped bracket 350 is so constructed and arranged that the same is adapted to cooperate with the inboard transverse web 38c of the support post 320 to define an open ended channel 95c having a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration to receive the rail 330 having an outer circular peripheral surface, the rail 33c having a bore 910 passing therethrough and defining a pair of opposed reinforcing enlargements 99 disposed interiorly thereof and respectively having flat faces 100 facing each other.

While the various railing constructions of this invention have heretofore been described as having a support post 32 thereof provided with arcuate bends adjacent the smaller ends thereof, it is to be understood that the support post 32 could be formed in any other arcuate configuration as desired.

In particular, reference is made to FIGURE 6 wherein another railing construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 101 and has parts thereof similar to the other parts of the railing constructions of this invention and indicated by the same reference numeral followed by the reference letter d.

As illustrated in FIGURE 6, the support post 32d is so arcuately bent between the opposed ends 59d and 60d thereof that the rails 33d and mounting brackets 34d and 35d respectively have inboard portions thereof disposed in a common plane flush with the inboard portion of the base 600. of the support post 32d.

In this manner, the support post 32d is adapted to be mounted on a supporting structure 31d having substantially the same width as the base portion 60d of the post 32d whereby the railing construction 101 does not extend inboard of the inboard portion of the support base 31d so that the road bed of the bridge associated with the railing construction 101 can be substantially wider than the railing construction 30 previously described.

In order to permit the support post 32d to be mounted on a support means 31d having substantially the same width as the base 60d of the support post 32d, the L-shaped members 70d and 71d are soconstructed and arranged that the same are both adapted to be disposed inboard of the transverse webs 38d of the post 32d, as illustrated.

While the upper two mounting brackets 34d and 35d and associated rails 33d are formed in substantially the same manner as the railing construction 30- previously described, it can be seen that the lowermost mounting bracket 35d and rail 33d can be formed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5 to permit all of the rails 33d and mounting brackets 34d and 350! to be disposed in the same plane.

Alternately, the railing constructions of this invention can be formed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 7 and generally indicated by the reference numeral 102, the parts of the railing construction 102 of this invention that are similar to the parts previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter e.

As illustrated in FIGURE 7, the support post 32e is arcuately formed in substantially the same manner as the support post 32d illustrated in FIGURE 20 whereby the base portion We of the support post 32a is adapted to be disposed on a supporting structure 31:: having substantially the same width as the base portion 60c.

The upper two rails 33e of the railing construction 102 are adapted to be secured thereto by the mounting brackets 34a and 352 in the manner previously described whereby the inboard portions of the mounting brackets 34:: and 35a are disposed in a plane passing through the inboard portion of the support means 31e.

In this manner, the railing construction 102 can permit the roadbed of the bridge or the like to be substantially wider than the railing construction 30 previously described.

In order to provide lower rails for the railing construction 102, suitable apertures 103 can be formed in the desired locations, transversely through the cross-member 37c of the support post 32c to receive conduit like rails 104.

Preferably, the apertures 103 in the support post 32e are formed out of line with the welded seam 45c thereof and are disposed closer to the inboard transverse web 382 thereof than to the outboard transverse web 38:: thereof to provide sufficient material in the cross-member 37e backing up the rails 103 to carry the shear load should an impact be made on the rails 104.

Therefore, it can be seen that the various parts of this invention can be modified within the teachings of this invention to provide railing constructions having other desired configurations, the parts being formed in a relatively simple manner and being adapted to be rapidly and effectively assembled together to form a relatively inexpensive railing construction while still having the desired structural strength and the desired aesthetic qualities.

While the various parts of this invention are heretofore described as being interconnected to support posts formed by the teachings of this invention, it is to be understood that the various parts of this invention could be utilized with other support posts if desired.

In particular, reference is made to FIGURES 8 and 9 wherein another railing construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 106 and parts thereof similar to the railing constructions previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter 7.

As illustrated in FIGURE 8, the railing construction 106 includes a plurality of support posts 107 formed by forging or the like and having a substantially I-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a cross-member 108 having the opposed ends thereof integrally connected to transversely disposed webs 109.

The support post 107 has a flat base 110 adapted to be bolted to a supporting structure 31 by bolts 111.

The inboard transverse webs 109 of support posts 107 are respectively provided with recessed areas 112 and 113 to cooperate with the mounting brackets 34 and 35 and rails 33 of this invention to complete the railing construction 106.

Therefore, it can be seen that the various parts of this invention can be utilized with any other desired structure to provide railing constructions having one or more of the novel features of this invention.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface interrupted by a notch, a substantially U-shaped mounting bracket having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating with said notch to define a channel having opposed opened ends and having a particular crosssectional configuration, and a rail passing through said channel and having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of said channel.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support post generally has an I-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support post is smaller at the free end thereof than at the secured end thereof.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rail is hollow.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the Width of said support post is substantially uniform throughout its length.

6. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface interrupted by a notch and a pair of opposed ends, said support post having an arcuate portion between said ends, a substantially U-shaped mounting bracket having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating with said notch to define a channel having opposed opened ends and having a particular cross-sectional configuration, and a rail passing through said channel and having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of said channel.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said mounting bracket is secured at the free end of said support post.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said mounting bracket is secured to said support post intermediate said ends thereof.

9. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface interrupted by a notch and a pair of opposed ends, said support post having an arcuate portion between said ends, a plurality of substantially U-shaped mounting brackets each having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating therewith to define a channel having opposed opened ends, and having a particular crosssectional configuration, one of said brackets cooperating with said notch to define one of said channels, and a plurality of rails passing through said channels, each rail having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of the respective channel.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting brackets each has the cross-member thereof disposed in the same plane as the other cross-members.

11. A combination as 'set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting brackets each has the cross-member thereof disposed in the same plane as the secured end of said support post.

12. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface interrupted by a notch and a pair of opposed ends, said support post having an opening passing transversely therethrough, a substantially U-shaped mounting bracket having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating with said notch to define a channel having opposed opened ends and having a particular crosssectional configuration, a first rail passing through said channel and having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of said channel, and a second rail passing through said opening in said support post.

13. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface and pair of opposed ends, the free end of said post having a notch provided therein, a substantially U-shaped reinforcing member secured in said notch and facing outwardly therefrom, a substantially U-shaped mounting bracket having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating with said reinforcing member to define a channel having opposed opened ends and having a particular cross-sectional configuration, and a rail passing through said channel and having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of said channel.

14. In combination, support means, a substantially outwardly extending support post secured to said support means and having an exterior surface interrupted by a notch, a substantially U-shaped mounting bracket having the legs thereof secured to said surface of said support post and cooperating with said notch to define a channel having opposed opened ends and having a particular crosssectional configuration, and a rail passing through said channel and having a cross-sectional configuration identical to the cross-sectional configuration of said channel, said rail having a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration provided with fiat opposed end sections andsaid channel being complementary to said rail.

15. A combination as set forth in claim 14 wherein said flat end sections of said rail are enlargements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 805,791 11/1905 Gouldstone 189-23 955,528 4/1910 Mitchell 256l9 1,233,080 7/1917 McClintock 25613.1 1,498,176 6/1924 Lachman 18923 1,600,165 9/1926 Dennebaum 25613.1 1,826,998 10/1931 Doddridge 256l3.1 1,860,615 5/1932 Kahn 25613.1 2,013,716 9/1935 McFadden et a1 25613.1 2,053,753 9/1936 Wellington 287-54 2,106,602 1/1938 Hunter 29155 2,336,038 12/1943 Sawyer 256131 2,774,325 12/1956 Budde 39-62 X 2,889,614 6/1959 Seely 29155 2,905,446 9/1959 Blum 25621 X 2,907,552 10/1959 Crone 25659 2,944,797 7/1960 Magness 256-22 X 3,021,115 2/1962 Dake 256- 3,028,148 4/1962 Crannell 25613.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 13,659 2/1909 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, D. L. TAYLOR,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS, A SUBSTANTIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING SUPPORT POST SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND HAVING AN EXTERIOR SURFACE INTERRUPTED BY A NOTCH, A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED MOUNTING BRACKET HAVING THE LEGS THEREOF SECURED TO SAID SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT POST AND COOPERATING WITH SAID NOTCH TO DEFINE A CHANNEL HAVING OPPOSED OPENED ENDS AND HAVING A PARTICULAR CROSSSECTIONAL CONFIGURATION, AND A RAIL PASSING THROUGH SAID CHANNEL AND HAVING A CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION IDENTICAL TO THE CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION OF SAID CHANNEL. 